Resilient rail fastener



P 1942- G. R. BURKHARDT 2,294,736

RESILIENT RAIL FASTENER Filed Oct. 21, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l P 1942. G. R. BURKHARDT 2,294,736

RESILIENT RAIL FASTENER Y Filed Oct. 21, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 11 1/ r I 4 A {0 .6 (8 1a Sept. 1, 1942.

G. R. BURKHARDT RESILIENT RAIL FASTENER Filed Oct. 21, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 II/ III]; III

III II III! Patented Sept. 1, 1942 UNiTee STATES PATENT OFFICE RESILIEN T RAIL FASTENER George R. Burkh-ardt, Chicago, Ill. Application October 21, 1941, Serial No. 415,963

17 Claims.

This invention relates to rail fasteners, and has particular reference to improvements in rail fasteners of the type which are resilient to permit the rail to partake of the wave motion imparted to it by the passage of rolling stock thereover.

One special object of the present invention is to provide a resilient rail fastener including an anchor element tobe anchored to a support for the rail, resilient means carried by said anchoring element for resilient holding cooperation with the rail, and releasable restraining means to hold said resilient means abnormally energized and operatively disengaged from the rail during anchoring of the anchor element, and thereafter to be released to permit the resilient means to expand into resilient holding cooperation with the rail, whereby there are avoided the various disadvantages inherent to energize.- tion of known rail fasteners of the type which are designed to be energized by the act of operatively applying them to rails.

Another special object of the present invention is to provide means to pred-etermine the anchored position of the anchor element of the fastener relative to the rail support, thereby to predetermine the resilient holding force exerted by the resilient means of the fastener upon the rail when the restraining means is released and to insure that all of any plurality of fasteners employed will eXert the same, or approximately the same, resilient holding force upon the rail.

Another special object of the invention is to provide a resilient rail fastener which is of sim-- ple, practical design, thoroughly reliable and efficient in use and which requires little or no maintenance attention and cost once it has been installed in a track.

With the foregoing and various other objects and purposes in view, which will become more fully apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in resilient rail fastening means embodying the various novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein are illustrated difierent practical forms of the invention and wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in related views:

Figures 1, 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views through a portion of a railway rail and its support illustrating the successive steps employed in applying to the support and the rail a resilient rail fastening means constructed in accordance with one practical embodiment of the invention.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 1.

Figures 11 and 12 are views similar to Figs.

6 and 7 illustrating still bodiment of the invention.

Figures 13 and 14 are views s m lar to s- 6 and 7 illustrating still another practical embodiment of the invention; and

Figures 15 and-16 are a top plan view and a another practical emfront elevation, respectively, of the Figs. 13 and 14 embodiment of the invention.

According to each of the diflerent illustrated embodiments of the invention the fastener is designated generally as A, a portion of the base flange of a rail to be fastened is designated as H], a portion of a tie plate upon which the rail rests is designated as H, and a portion of a cross tie upon which the tie plate rests is designated as l2.

Also, according to each of the illustrated em: bodiments of the invention, the fastener A includes an anchor element designated generally as I 3, a resilient element, designated generally as I4, carried by said anchor element for resilient holding cooperation with the base flange N] of the rail, andreleasable restrainingv means, designated generally as l5, to hold the resilient element l4 abnormally energized or compressed and thereby op-eratively disengaged from the base flange H] of the rail during anchoring of the anchor element l3 and thereafter to be released to permit the resilient element I4 to cooperate with the base flange H] of the rail to eXert a yieldable holding force downwardly upon the same.

In accordance with the invention and regardless of the specific nature of the resilient means 14 and its restraining means [5, the anchor element I3 may be either in the form of a pin to be anchored to the tie plate H, or in the form of a spike to be driven or screwed into or otherwise anchored to the cross tie l2. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the anchor element called for by the appended claims may be either a pin anchored to a tie plate or a spike anchored to a tie, and that the rail support called for by said claims as having the anchor element l3 anchored thereto, is to be construed either as the tie plate II or the tie l2, depending upon whether it is the tie plate or the tie to which said anchor element is anchored.

Referring now particularly to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings, it will be observed that the anchor element I3 is in the form of a forge-d pin l6 provided at its lower end with a hook formation IT to engage beneath the tie plate II and thereby positively secure said anchor element to said tie plate against upward movement relative thereto; also, that said pin is formed to have the hook formation I'I thereof engaged beneath the tie plate H first by insertion of the hooked lower end portion of said pin downwardly through one of the usual spike holes 18 provided in the tie plate, as shown in Fig. 1, and then by swinging the upper portion of said pin outwardly to cause it to fulcrum against the tie plate at the outer side of the spike hole l8 and thus force the hook formation I'l beneath the tie plate at the inner side of said spike hole, as shown in Fig. 2 0f the drawings. It will further be observed that the pin I6 is provided at its outer side with a shoulder IE to engage the top of the tie plate II at the outer side of the spike hole l8 when the hook I! is engaged beneath said tie plate at the inner side of said spike hole, thereby definitely to predetermine the anchored position of said pin relative to the tie plate.

Integral with or suitably fixed to the pin it at a point suitably spaced downwardly from the upper end thereof is an abutment 20, while on said pin, below said abutment, is a coil spring constituting the aforementioned resilient means I4. In addition, a nut, constituting the aforementioned releasable restraining means 15, is

threaded on the upper end of said pin [6 above the abutment 20.

Extending upwardly from the lowermost coil of the spring 14 is an arm 2| which, at its upper end, is directed laterally into overlying relationship to the nut 15, as indicated at 22, and which is of a length such that the nut l5, by being threaded upwardly on the upper end of the pin I6, is effective, by cooperation with the said laterally directed upper end 22 of said arm, to hold the spring 14 abnormally compressed against the abutment and thereby operatively disengaged from the rail flange l0 during anchoring of the pin l6. On the other hand, it is apparent that when the pin l6 has been anchored th nut 15 may be screwed downwardly along saidpin to gradually release the spring l4 and ease same downwardly into resilient holding engagement with the rail flange NJ, as shown in Fig, 3. It will thus be apparent that there are avoided all of the various disadvantages inherent to energization of known types of resilient rail fasteners which are designed to be energized by the act of operatively applying them to rails; that due to predetermining the anchored position of the anchor element [3 relative to the rail support and the rail, and by employing a resilient means M of predetermined strength, the resilient holding force exerted by said resilient means upon the rail will be predetermined and definite, and that since the anchor element is held positively against upward movement the force exerted by the resilient means M will not vary except under the influence of wave motion imparted to the rail by the passage of rolling stock over the same. Accordingly, once the fastener is installed, the same does not require subsequent adjustments or attention and maintenance costs thereby are eliminated.

Best cooperation of the coil spring [4 with the base flang ID of the rail is obtained by having the terminal end portion of the lowermost coil of said spring disposed in overlying relationship to said base flange, and to insure this the abutment 20 is provided with a recess 23 through which the arm 2| extends whereby the spring 14 is held against rotation and in an angular position relative to the pin I3 such that when the fastener is installed the said terminal end portion of the lowermost coil of the spring I4 will overlie the rail flange.

The spring [4 is very strong and therefore the arm 2| must be strong and sturdy in order to perform its function of maintaining said spring abnormally compressed during anchoring of the pin 13. Accordingly, th material comprising the arm 2| may be wider than the material comprising the spring [4, and may be bent upon itself as shown to insure adequate strength and stability of said arm, or the same purpose may be accomplished in any other suitable manner. Likewise, any suitable means other than the means shown and described may be employed to hold the spring l4 against rotation relative to the pin I3.

Referring now particularly to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 6 to 8 of the drawings, it will be observed that the construction is the same as the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 except that a C-shaped member 24, separate from the spring I4, is employed in lieu of an arm 2| integral with said spring a in the Figs. 1 to 5 construction, and except that the spring I4 is held against rotation relative to the pin l3 by having its upper end upturned as indicated at 25 and engaged in a notch 26 provided in the abutment 20. The C-shaped member 24 includes a vertical arm 2| and upper and lower laterally outwardly directed arms 22' and 26, respectively, the former of which overlies the nut 15 and the latter of which is slidably mounted on the pin l3 beneath the spring I4, Thus, the nut 15 acts through the member 24 to hold the spring l4 abnormally compressed during anchoring of the pin [3, and said spring acts through the lower arm 26 of said member 24 to impose its force upon the rail flange 10.

Referring now particularly to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawings, it will be observed that again the construction generally is the same as the Figs. 1 to 5 construction, except that a nut, constituting the releasable restraining means I5, is threaded on the pin 13 below the spring l4 and that said spring is confined between said nut and an abutment 20' in the form of a head on said pin. Thus, by screwing the nut I 5 upwardly on the pin [3, the spring l4 may be abnormally compressed and maintained in that condition during anchoring of said pin, and then by screwing said nut downwardly until it is disengaged from the threads on said pin, the spring [4 may be released to act through said nut to impose its force on the rail flange I0 to resiliently fasten the same. As in the Figs. 6 and '7 embodiment of the invention, the spring [4 of the Figs. 9 and 10 embodiment of the invention may be held in a desired angular position relative to the pin l3 by having its upper terminal end portion directed upwardly and engaged in a notch in the abutment 20.

Referring now particularly to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12 of the drawings, the construction is the same as the Figs. 9 and 10 construction, except that the anchor element 13 is in the form of a spike to be driven into the cross tie l2. In this connection and as shown, the sai spike is provided with a suitable shoulder l9 for engagement with the tie plate II, or, alternatively, with the tie if the tie plate is not used, to limit penetration of the spike and thus predetermine its anchored position so as to definitely predetermine the holding force exerted by the resilient means I4 upon the rail flange l0. As is apparent, the spike of the Figs. 11 and 12 embodiment of the invention may as well be a screw spike as a driven spike.

Referring now particularly to the Figs. 13 to 16 embodiment of the invention, it will be observed that the anchor element I3 is in the form of a spike to be driven into the cross tie l2; that the resilient means I 4 is in the form of a coil spring formed integrally with the upper end of said spike, and that the releasable restraining means l is in the form of an arm 2| formed as an integral upward extension of the lowermost coil of the spring l4 and provided at its upper end with a laterally directed lip 22 to overlie the uppermost coil of said spring l4 and thus hold said spring abnormally compressed during driving of the spike l3. To limit driving of the spike l3 and thus predetermine its anchored position so as to definitely predetermine the force exerted by the spring l4 upon the rail flange H], the upper end portion of the shank of said spike may be suitably ofiset, as indicated at I 9 to provide a shoulder for engagement with the tie plate I l or with the cross tie if said tie plate is not used, while in order to release the coil spring M for resilient holding cooperation with the rail flange I after anchoring of the spike l3, all that is necessary is to pry or otherwise force the arm Zi outwardly relative to the spring Hi to disengage its lip 22 from the uppermost coil of said spring I 4. As shown in Figs. 15 and 16, the spring I4 is offset with respect to the shank of the spike l3 so that the spring [4, when released, reacts from the rail flange to tend to cant the spike rather than to exert force directly upwardly upon the same, whereby there is little likelihood of said spike being loosened by the holding force exerted by the spring M;

In all forms of the invention the spring is placed under its preliminarily-held and abnormally-compressed condition in the shop, and is delivered at the track or to the railway storekeeper in that condition ready for installation.

Without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Means for resiliently fastening a rail upon a support, said means comprising an anchoring element to be anchored to the support, resilient means carried by said anchoring element for resilient holding cooperation with the rail, and releasable restraining means for said resilient means carried by said anchoring element and cooperable therewith to hold said resilient means abnormally energized and operatively disengaged from the rail during anchoring of said anchoring element and thereafter releasable with respect to said anchoring element to release said resilient means to permit said resilient means to 3 operatively engage the rail and to resiliently hold the same upon its support.

2. Means for resiliently fastening a rail upon a support, said means comprising an anchoring element to be anchored to the support, a coil spring carried by said anchoring element for exerting resilient holding force upon the rail, and releasable restraining means for said coil spring carried by said anchoring element and cooperable therewith to hold said coil spring abnormally compressed and thereby operatively disengaged from the rail during anchoring of said anchoring element and thereafter releasable with respect to said anchoring element to release said coil spring to permit said coil spring to expand and to cooperate with the rail to resiliently hold the same upon its support.

3. Means for resiliently fastening a rail upon a support, said means comprising an anchoring element to be anchored to the support, resilient means carried by said anchoring element for resilient holding cooperation with the rail, and a restraining nut threaded on said anchoring element to hold said resiilent means abnormally energized and operatively disengaged from the rail during anchoring of said anchoring element and thereafter to be adjusted to permit said resilient means to cooperate with the rail to resiliently hold the same upon its su ort.

4. Means for resiliently fastening a rail upon a support, said means comprising an anchoring element to be anchored to the support, resilient means carried by said anchoring element for resilient holding cooperation with the rail, releasable restraining means for said resilient means carried by said anchoring element and cooperable therewith to hold said resilient means abnormally energized and operatively disengaged from the rail during anchoring of said anchoring element and thereafter releasable with respect to said anchoring element to release said resilient means to permit said resilient means to cooperate with the rail to resiliently hold the same upon its support, and means to predetermine the anchored position of said anchoring element relative to the support thereby to predetermine the resilient holding force exerted by said resilient means upon the rail when said resilient means is released.

5. Means for resiliently fastening a rail upon a support, said means comprising an anchoring element to be anchored to the support, said anchoring element including a threaded shank disposed in an upright position at the side of the rail when said anchoring element is anchored to said support, an abutment on said shank, a coil spring on said shank to react from said abutment to exert a resilient holding force upon the rail, and a nut threaded on said shank to hold said coil spring abnormally compressed against said abutment and operatively disengaged from the rail during anchoring of said anchoring element and thereafter to be adjusted to permit said coil spring to expand and to cooperate with the rail to resiliently hold the same upon its support.

6. Means for resiliently fastening a rail upon a support, said means comprising an anchoring element to be anchored to the support, said anchoring element including a threaded shank disposed in an upright position at the side of the rail when said anchoring element is anchored to said support, an abutment on said shank, a coil spring surrounding said shank below said abutment for reactance from said abutment to exert a resilient holding force downwardly upon the rail, and a nut threaded on said shank below said coil spring to hold said coil spring abnormally compressed against said abutment and operatively disengaged from the rail during anchoring of said anchoring element and thereafter to be adjusted downwardly upon said shank to release said coil spring to permit the latter to expand into resilient holding cooperation with the rail.

'7. Means for resiliently fastening a rail upon a support, said means comprising an anchoring element to be anchored to the support, said anchoring element including a threaded shank disposed in an upright position at the side of the rail when said anchoring element is anchored to said support, an abutment on said shank, a coil spring surrounding said shank below said abutment for reactance from said abutment to exert a resilient holding force downwardly upon the rail, a nut threaded on said shank above said abutment, and an element engaged at its lower end with the lower end of said coil spring and at its upper end with said nut whereby said nut may be utilized to hold said coil spring abnormally compressed against said abutment and operatively disengaged from the rail during anchoring of said anchoring element and thereafter may be adjusted downwardly along said shank to release said coil spring to permit the latter to expand into resilient holding cooperation with the rail.

8. Means for resiliently fastening a rail upon a support, said means comprising an anchoring element to be anchored to the support, said anchoring element including a threaded shank disposed in an upright position at the side of the rail when said anchoring element is anchored to said support, an abutment on said shank, a coil spring surrounding said shank below said abutment for reactance from said abutment to exert a resilient holding force downwardly upon the rail, a yoke element extending from the lower end of said coil spring upwardly above said abutment, and a nut threaded on said shank above said abutment for cooperation with the upper end of said yoke element to act through the latter to hold said coil spring abnormally compressed against said abutment and operatively disengaged from the rail during anchoring of said anchoring element and thereafter to be adjusted downwardly along said shank to release said coil spring to permit the latter to expand into resilient holding cooperation with the rail.

9. Resilient fastening means for a rail as set forth in claim 8 in which the yoke element comprises an integral upward extension of the lower end of the coil spring.

10. Resilient fastening means for a rail as set forth in claim 8 in which the yoke element comprises a substantially C-shaped member separate from the coil spring having a lower arm underlying the loWer end of the coil spring and an upper arm overlying the top of the nut.

11. Resilient fastening means for a rail as set forth in claim 2 including means to hold the coil spring against rotation relative to the anchoring element to insure holding cooperation of a predetermined portion of th coil spring with the rail.

12. Means for resiliently fastening a rail upon a support, said means comprising an anchoring element to be anchored to the support, a coil s ring integral with said anchoring element for exerting a resilient holding force downwardly upon the rail, and releasable restraining means to hold said coil spring abnormally compressed and thereby operatively disengaged from the rail during anchoring of said anchoring element and thereafter to be released to permit said coil spring to expand into resilient holding cooperation with the rail, said releasable restraining means comprising a terminal extension of said coil spring having a terminal clip for releasable engagement with a coil of said spring to releasably hold the latter abnormally compressed.

13. Means for resiliently fastening a rail upon a support, said means comprising a spike to be anchored to the support, a coil spring integral with said spike for exerting a resilient holding force downwardly upon the rail, and releasable restraining means to hold said coil spring abnormally compressed and thereby operatively disengaged from the rail during anchoring of said spike and thereafter to be released to permit said coil spring to expand into resilient holding cooperation with the rail, said coil spring being axially offset from the axis of said spike so as to exert a canting force upon the spike when it is released and in holding cooperation with the rail, and said releasable restraining means comprising a terminal extension of said coil spring having a terminal lip for releasable engagement with a coil of said spring to releasably hold the latter abnormally compressed.

14. Resilient rail fastening means as set forth in claim 13 including means to predetermine the anchored position of the spike thereby to predetermine the resilient holding force exerted by the coil spring upon the rail.

15. Resilient rail fastening means as set forth in claim 3 including means to predetermine the anchored position of the anchoring element relative to the support thereby to predetermine the resilient holding force exerted by the resilient means upon the rail.

16. Means for resiliently fastening a rail upon a tie plate, said means comprisin an anchoring element in the form of a shank having a hook at its lower end to be engaged with the tie plate to anchor the shank thereto, resilient means carried by said anchoring element for resilient holding cooperation with the rail, and releasable restraining means for said resilient means carried by said anchoring element and cooperable therewith to hold said resilient means abnormally energized and operatively disengaged from the rail during anchoring of said anchoring element and thereafter releasable with respect to said anchoring element to release said resilient means to permit said resilient means to operatively engage the rail and to resiliently hold the same upon its support.

1'7. A rail fastener comprising, in combination with a rail and a support therefor, an anchor element for engagement with the rail support, a spring element carried by the anchor element for reactance therefrom to engage and resiliently hold the rail flange, and releasable restraining means carried by the anchor element and coop erable therewith to temporarily hold said spring restrained in an inactive abnormally compressed position during installation of the anchor element and releasable with respect to said anchor element to free said spring for active resilient holding engagement with the rail flange afterinstallation of the anchoring element.

GEORGE R. BURKHARDT. 

